Knife-cleaner



(No Model.)

H. E. POWLER.

KNIFE CLEANER.

No. 409,742. Patented Aug. 27, 1889.

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N. PETERS Phmmhagmpmr. washington, n, c.

UNITED STATE-s PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT E. FOWLER, OF NEYV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

KNIFE-CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,742, dated August 27, 1889.

Application filed May ll, 1888.

Serial No. 273.608. (No model.)

useful Improvements in Knife-Cleaners; and- I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine.

This invention has relation to improvements in devices for cleaning and polishing cutlery, and it is more particularly adapted for cleaning table-cutlery, such as knives.

The invention will be f nlly understood from the following description and claims, when taken in connection with theaccompanying drt wings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of my improved device, the same being removed from its support. Fig. 2 is avertical cross-sectional View taken on the dotted lines n of Fig. l, and Fig. 8 is a plan view of one of the holding or confining plates removed. v

Referring by letter to the said drawings, A indicates the main frame, which may be of dish shape and of any ornamental design, being adapted to hold the polishing material. This frame or dish may be provided with flanges, such as a, whereby the same niay be secured by means of screws or the like to any suitable support.

B indicates a bridge or yoke which rises vertically from the dish or base and extends horizontally, as shown at b. This yoke serves a twofold function, namely: a guide for the pads and confining-plates and a handle by which the device may be carried.

C indicates pads, which are preferably formed of rubber or other suitable yielding material, there being two sets shown in the present illustration-a lower set, which is designed for cleaning, and an upper set for polishing. These pads are covered with felt, chamois, or other suitable material such as used in this class of devices.

Rising from the base-plate or dish and adjacent to the vertical branches of the yoke are short studs or uprights D, which are designed to serve as a support for the lower conningplate E indicates the upper and lower confiningplates, which are similar in construction and slot-ted longitudinally, as shown at d, so as to pass over and down on the yoke. These plates are also provided at opposite ends with tapering terminals, which are slightly bent in hook forni, the bottom or lower plate having its ends bent downwardly and the upper plate having its ends bent upwardly to receive a connecting-spring F.

G indicates the central or intermediate plate, which is also slotted longitudinally to pass over the yoke, and is of aless length than 'the outer plate, so that it may not interfere with the connecting-springs- This intermediate plate is provided on opposite sides with a marginal longitudinal flange or shoulder e., which is designed to preventlateral displacement of the abrading-pads during operation. The upper and lower plates are also provided with marginal iianges or shoulders on their engaging sides to retain the pads in proper position. I attach importance to the employment of these springs and to the fact that both the top and bottom plates are movable and yieldingly connected, as by such arrange ment it will be seen that the lower plate, and consequently the abrading-pad thereon, will have an upward spring .action on a knife or the like which has been inserted between the pads.

The connecting-springs F are preferably of a spiral or coil form, terminating at opposite ends in eyes or hooks, as shown, so that they may be made to readily engage and disen gage the ends of the coniining-plates-when it is desired to attain access to the pads.

In operation, when it is desired to clean a knife, the springs are iirst disconnected from the plates andthe cleaning material placed between the pads. The plates are then connected by the said springs, as more fully shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, after which the knife may be placed between the lower set of pads and given a forward and backward movement while being held in the hand of the operator. After the blade has been sufficiently cleaned at this point it may be withdrawn and inserted between the upper set of pads, where it is given a similar movement for polishing.

IOC

This device may be very cheaply manufactured. It is Very durable and not liable to get out of order.

Having described my invention, what I claim isn l. In a knife-cleaner,the co1nbination,with a base-plate having a yoke or bridge secured thereto, of abrading-pads,.conning-plates for the said pads, having slots to receive the said yoke, and yielding connections for the said plates, whereby the under pads may have an upward Spring action, substantially as speciied.

2. rlhe combination, with a base-plate, of the yoke adapted to serve the additional func tion of a handle, the short posts secured to the said base, the slotted con lining-plates having longitudinal marginal ianges, abradingpads interposed between the plates, and detachable yielding' conn ections for the two outer plates, substantially as specified.

3. In aknife-cleaner, the combination, with vertical guides, of abrading-pads, confiningplates therefor, and yielding connections for the said plates, whereby the under pads may have an upward spring action and the upper ones a similar act-ion downwardly, substantially as specified.

et. In a knife-eleaner, the combination, with a base, of a yoke, as B, rising therefrom, confining-plates longitudinally slotted to be received by the yoke, said plates having their ends extended, and a yielding connection, such as F, adapted to be detachably applied to the ends of the plates, so as to confine abrading-pads and effect an upward spring action on the lower pads and a similardownward action on the upper pads, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HERBERT E. FOWLER.

lVi tn csses:

C. H. HAYDEN, S. M. Hovn. 

